CHESTER, Pa. –Twenty minutes isn’t a large enough sample size to judge anything.
However, for the Philadelphia Union, it was enough for a change in perspective.
Before Haris Medunjanin and Alejandro Bedoya were sent off in the team’s 4-1 loss to Atlanta United on June 2, the Union were up for the challenge against a well-oiled Atlanta attacking machine inside the cauldron of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. That snippet from a month ago is providing belief inside the Union squad that they can prove themselves against the Eastern Conference leader Saturday at home.
“It was brief, the 20 minutes we played at their place in a hostile environment. We were actually decent and were up for the game,” Union manager Jim Curtin said. “Things changed that night. It affected our team, the rhythm that we were in. There’s an eagerness to have another opportunity against them on our home field.”
Union right back Keegan Rosenberry said the team is now “super excited to get another crack at them.”
“They’re one of the best teams in the league, but in our building and 11-v-11, like you saw in the first 20 minutes, I feel like we have the confidence to go and play with those guys, if not outplay them,” Rosenberry said. “That’s going to be the goal, especially in those first 20 minutes.”
The Union will use an individual game plan for the Five Stripes, with similar tactics they’ve employed against other top players across MLS, such as Michael Bradley, Bradley Wright-Phillips, David Villa and others.
“You always look forward to opportunities to play against the better guys in the league,” Rosenberry said. “A lot of teams have quality, but just the way these guys are playing right now, it shows up in the scoresheet and it turns a couple more heads. Of course they’re very special players, and with any impact players we have to limit the amount of time they’re on the ball and the amount of times they impact the game. Sometimes it’s easier said than done, but I think we’ve done relatively well with guys we key on this year.”
Keeping possession sounds simple, but it’s imperative for the Union in order to keep Atlanta at bay. That starts with the build out of the back by centerbacks Auston Trusty and Mark McKenzie, and it continues with Haris Medunjanin and Alejandro Bedoya in midfield.
Medunjanin and Bedoya act as connecters between the defense and forwards, and they’ve been taking care of that job, especially Bedoya, who leads players with more than 700 minutes and a pass success rate at 91 percent.
Medunjanin is one of the most active players on the ball in Major League Soccer, as he averages 70.9 passes per game. Michael Bradley, Matt Besler, Ilie Sanchez and Nicolas Lodeiro are the only players with more passes per contest.
While the ball is played through the midfield, the Union must be aware of where the key opposing players are on the field, especially against Atlanta United.
“The best defense is being good with the ball yourselves,” Curtin said. “(Miguel) Almiron, when he gets on the ball and gets a head of steam running at you, I don’t care if you’re a (Paolo) Maldini, you’re going to be in trouble with him in space.
“We have to do our best to limit those opportunities, to know where he is when we’re in possession of the ball. Because a lot of the great players have a tendency to find space and get open when you’re in possession, and feel safe and comfortable.(Ezequiel) Barco falls into that category as well. They have freedom to go in different spots on the field. Just when you think you’ve done a good job at locating them, you have (Josef) Martinez running into the box.”
As if the pressure wasn’t on the Union enough entering Saturday’s game against the Supporters’ Shield leader, the club is in the middle of a race for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. The Union (6-8-3, 21 points) is in eighth place, tied in points with No. 7 Montreal (7-11-0, 21 points) and two points behind No. 6 Chicago (6-7-5, 23 points), two teams coming into form.
The focus on the red line isn’t dominating the Union players’ thoughts, but it’s a lingering prospect. With a few home games in a row upcoming, they must take advantage of the opportunities in front of them.
“Going into the season, one of the things we hang our hat on is playing well at home … our track record, which we’re trying to better, with away games isn’t great, so that’s where you have to get your points,” Rosenberry said. “Sometimes later in the year, you think about the playoff race and point totals. For us right now, it’s just the form we’re in and getting back to winning ways after the disappointing result in LA. With the team being so good that we’re playing, I think it’s a great test for us to see where we’re at.”